Miami Marlins, Tampa Bay Rays Close to Completing Yunel Escobar Trade

The Miami Marlins and Tampa Bay Rays are reportedly close to a deal that would send Yunel Escobar to the Rays to take over as the team's new shortstop, according to Danny Knobler of CBS Sports.

Rays close to deal for Yunel Escobar. Derek Dietrich goes to Marlins

— DKnobler (@DKnobler) December 5, 2012

There is no word yet on whether Dietrich is the only player coming back from the Rays to the Fish. Dietrich was rated as a C+ prospect by Minor League Ball's John Sickels before the season began, but he did well for himself in 2012 by hitting .282/.343/.468 (.367 wOBA) in High-A before earning a late-season promotion to Double-A. In Double-A, he hit a decent .271/.324/.429 (.346 wOBA) that rated as ten percent better than the league average by wRC+.

Dietrich is a college product from the Georgia Institute of Technology, so he comes a little more polished and may end up splitting time between Double- and Triple-A this year should he arrive with the Marlins. He is expected to eventually move to third base, giving the Marlins yet another potential third baseman with some pop (career minor league ISO of .192). But he is still a lightly-regarded prospect and the Marlins would be sending off a fairly decent asset in Escobar, even with his baggage.

Stay tuned to Fish Stripes for more details as they develop.